Glitch in the System
by Siochan
Summary: Book one of The 'Turn of Events' series.Set in season 4 Buffy and Season 1 Angel


bok1

A Turn of Events  
  
Book 1.  
  
Glitch in the system  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Three months!?" Buffy said in shock. *Three months. It couldn't possibly be three months, or anything like that!!*  
"Are you sure?" she asked uncertainly.  
The doctor nodded gently.  
*Oh God!* she thought, *This isn't possible. It cannot be happening.*  
"Is something wrong Miss Summers?" Dr Johnston asked quietly.  
"Eh, umm..... no." Buffy replied, stumbling to her feet. "Nothing's wrong." She made her way towards the door. "Thank you doctor."  
  
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Chapter 2  
  
"Well, it's wrong then! It must be wrong!" Willow insisted angrily. "I mean, three months ago where were you?" She looked up at Buffy. "That was, like, Thanksgiving, you and Riley hardly knew each other, and yeah, he was interested and you were interested - But not that interested!" Willow exclaimed. "And as for Parker? Well, you were well rid of him by that stage... right?"  
Buffy sighed, "That's just it Willow. I mean, you're right, everything you said. It's just not possible, but...... we gotta face facts here. It's true!"  
Willow looked flustered. "Well, who do you?..... I mean where, when..... who do you think is, y'know?"  
Raising an eyebrow Buffy replied. " I don't know Will. I mean, maybe Slayer biology is just different from the rest of it. Maybe it's faster, coz, y'know, you've seen the way I heal. Or maybe it's slower or just ... I don't know." Her shoulders slumped forward, "I mean, I was really careful Will. REALLY careful. With Riley and Parker. I can't understand it.... Maybe I should talk to Giles." Buffy let out a long slow breath despairingly. Just at that moment the phone rang.  
"I'll answer it." Willow said, getting up from the bed and walking towards the phone.  
Picking up and holding the receiver to her mouth she said, "Hello?"  
Hey Will! Xander's voice came down the phone. You're in your dorm?!  
Willow glanced around aimlessly. "Sure looks like it." she agreed, "What's up?"  
I thought you were meeting us at the Bronze. -Remember?Xander said amicably K's Choice, Peanuts, possible partaking of the drinking - oh, and my ex-girlfriend who, please God, you wont leave me alone with for much longer!Xander's tone had suddenly jumped from amicable to mildly frantic.  
"Oh!" Willow exclaimed. She had forgotten about their arrangement. "You mean she's there already?"  
No. Xander allowed But she'll be her around 9 and we did say 8.30, didn't we?  
Willow glanced at her watch. It was 8.50pm.  
"Oh God, Xander!" she said, "I'm running really late, I'm so sorry! I'll be down there as soon as I can." then, glancing at Buffy she added, "I might not be able to stay long though.  
  
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Chapter 3  
  
Buffy glanced around the Bronze idly, seeing if she could sight Xander as she followed Willow into the club. There was a band tonight so the place was pretty packed. Buffy felt her throat constrict slightly and wished, momentarily, that she hadn't come.  
*But,* she thought, *I guess I feel even less like staying in the dorm on my own tonight.*  
Plus she knew that Willow had felt really torn about up and leaving her. The Bronze wasn't so bad, Buffy supposed, and they were calling into talk to Giles on the way back to the dorms so it worked in that sense. Spending the night with Cordelia Chase wouldn't have been one of the first options she'd go for, but it was way up the list from, say, - Bumping into Riley before talking to Giles?  
Willow spotted Xander sitting at a table at the far end of the Bronze and Cordelia was sitting at the table with him. He was waving frantically at them. Willow waved back in his direction as she and Buffy pushed their way through the mass of gyrating young people on the dancefloor.  
"Hey Xander," Willow said, arriving at the table. "Sorry about the lateness." Then turning to Cordelia, she said, "Hey Cordelia! Great to see you! It's been, what? 8 months?"  
"Something like that." Cordelia conceded. "It feels like forever. I'm so glad to be back." she told her. "And I'm even more glad that it's just a visit!"  
"Hey Cordy." Buffy said, sliding into a seat next to Xander. "How long are you planning on staying?"   
Cordelia shrugged. "A few days." she said, " Angel said 'Take your time, enjoy your visit.' - but you know men - or- vampires who used to be men,...." she added for clarification."He'll be begging me to come back by Tuesday. He and Wesley have no idea how to file or, use a computer or, you know, stuff!"  
Xander smiled wryly, thinking of the night that lay ahead. Anya wasn't even arriving until 10.30. God knows what would happen then.  
"Oh, and speaking of them," Cordelia added, "Wesley and Angel say 'hi' to everyone."  
Buffy shifted uncomfortably in her seat.  
" So! Xander!" Willow said overenthusiastically. "When's Anya coming in?"  
"10.30" Xander said, inwardly groaning. "She's......., actually, I don't know what she's doing but, she said she'd be here by 10.30." he shrugged nonchalantly.  
"Well," Willow said looking at her watch, "We have to go soon anyway. We need to call over to Giles' on the way back and don't want to leave it too late."  
"But you only just got here!" Xander complained.  
"I know Xand." she replied apologetically, "But I did say I wouldn't be able to stay very long."  
Xander nodded in defeat. "Oh so true" he said under his breath.  
  
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Chapter 4  
  
Giles took his glasses off slowly and rubbed his temples in gentle deliberate motions. he frowned and put the glasses back on.  
"I don't know what to say, Buffy." he said eventually.  
*Well that's a first,* Willow thought. "I don't know what to say myself Giles. "I just.... it doesn't make any sense."  
"And you say you were with this Parker fellow, how long ago?" Giles asked, delicately.  
"Six or seven months now. And I've only been with Riley for a couple of weeks. Really. It's just, I don't know.... weird?" then she shook her head. "No, it's way more than weird. How can I possibly be three months pregnant when i wasn't in a position to get pregnant any time around then?!"  
Giles pushed his glasses up his nose. "Three months ago." he pondered aloud, " That was when?.. Christmas?  
"A little earlier." Willow said helpfully. "More like Thanksgiving."  
"Thanks giving. Yes. Quite right." Giles agreed. "There's one meal I wont forget in a hurry." Then a thought struck him. "I realise, Buffy," he said with as much tact as possible, "That I may be completely out of line in asking you this, but when you were in L.A. - You're sure you didn't....?"  
Buffy shook her head. " I see where you're coming from Giles, but the answer is 'no'."  
Giles nodded. Buffy continued.  
"I mean, practically the only guys I even met up there where Angel and my Dad. So, y'know, curse and uggghhh!"  
Giles looked perplexed.  
*He's gonna say he doesn't know what's going on.* Buffy thought glumly.  
"I'm not really sure what has happened." Giles said. "But I'll look into it as best I can. In the meantime... try not to worry too much."  
Buffy sighed. "Easier said than done." she told him.  
"I dare say it is." Giles agreed. Then he paused and scratched his head. "Have you spoken to Xander about this?" he asked.  
Buffy shook her head.  
"Well," Giles continued, "Maybe you should see if he could shed some light on the subject. He was around last thanksgiving. Why, he was even coherent most of the time."  
"Except for that brief spell of syphilis." Willow agreed.  
"Yes," Giles said, " It's just, the more lines of inquiry we persue the better the chances are of finding something out." then he added thoughtfully, "Maybe I should take another look at that Shumash Spirit...."  
  
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Chapter 5  
  
"So," Cordelia continued, " The following week Doyle died, and then I started having Mr Annoying-visions and really, I'd kinda forgotten all about it....... I mean, I cant actually remember anything but Doyle told me about it. Angel's the only one who can remember... coz, he's special...!"   
Cordelia took a sip of her drink. Anya looked slightly bored. Xander looked at Cordelia in disbelief.  
"What about Buffy?" He asked, "Does she remember?"  
Cordelia swallowed and shook her head.  
"No one but Angel." she said, " And Doyle was the only one he told. I'm not even sure why he told Doyle, but anyway, Buffy doesn't know." Then Cordelia covered her mouth with her hand. "And I'm drunk, and I really, really shouldn't have told you about that." she said in horror, "Oh God! You have to promise not to tell Buffy!"  
Xander still looked shocked. "Don't you think that Angel should have told Buffy by now?" he asked her. " i mean, she'd probably want to know."  
Cordelia shook her head vigorously. "No! It's like a big secret thing and I'm not even supposed to know about it, and, well, I'll probably get fired if he finds out I told you." she said. " And that's looking at the best case scenario." She looked severely panicked.  
Xander held up his hands. "It's OK. I mean, I guess I can see the benefits of not talking about it."   
Cordelia looked at his still very worried looking.  
"I'll not tell her." he clarified, "It would probably just upset her anyway."  
Anya sighed. "I'm bored." she said loudly.  
  
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Chapter 6  
  
Buffy sat up in bed looking the worse for wear after her sleepless night. The initial shock had worn off and now she was suffering from an acute case of worry. She hadn't even gone to class today for fear of bumping into Riley or, god forbid, Parker. She didn't feel like leaving the room again until the whole issue was resolved. She only hoped it was resolvable. Maybe Giles and his books would turn up something.  
The door opened and Willow came in from morning psyc.   
"Hey Buff!" she said with diliberate brightness. "How are you now?"  
Buffy shrugged absently. "I'm not sick Will. I'm just.... well, you know..."  
Willow sat down on the bed. "Are you coming over to find Xander? See if he survived the night. It could take your mind off things." Then she added, "Oh! Plus, we can take Giles' advice and ask him if has any, y'know, ideas."  
Buffy wrinkled her nose up in distaste. "I don't know Will. I just kinda want to stay here." but she concluded, " You go though, I'm sure Xander's in need of some moral, Willowy support and, well, what Giles said. Would you ask him?"  
Willow nodded easily. "Uh-huh. OK if that's what you want - Do you want anything in town?"  
Buffy shook her head.  
"Ok then." Willow said. "I'll not be too long. I'll see you later!"  
  
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Chapter 7  
  
There was an uneasy silence in Xander's basement dwelling. The only sound was that of a dripping tap that Xander had been getting around to repairing for weeks. He looked at Willow goggle-eyed with his mouth wide open.  
" She's ............. WHAT!!??" he exploded.  
Willow turned red, "Eh, pregnant Xander. Three months. I, eh, listen. She told me to tell you because...." Willow began but she was cut off.  
"...... and what did Riley have to say about this, huh?" Xander said, bouncing his right fist off his left palm. "I Bet he's denying all knowledge, right? I knew Mr Doofus was too nice to be for real."  
Willow shook her head, "Xander." She said soothingly. "Calmness would be good."  
He looked at her as if she had just suggested bathing in a pool of demon's blood.  
"Calmness??" he said, "This is no time to be calm! We should be out frantically hunting down that guy!!"  
Willow smiled, slightly amused by the anger of her overprotective friend. "Listen to what I'm saying though. 3 months? Buffy and Riley weren't even dating 3 months ago."  
Xander frowned, puzzled. "So what does that mean?" he asked, "who's is it?" then his eyes widened, " It's not that other jerks is it? The guy Buffy knocked out with the club?"  
"Who, Parker?" Willow asked, "That was almost 6 months ago. Riley's only been the last few weeks,.. Buffy says," she added to clarify her source, "So we're kind of in no-man's land - so to speak." Then she told him, "Giles is researching but we were wondering if you noticed anything, y'know, strange around then?"  
Xander frowned thoughtfully. "When was then?"  
"Around Thanksgiving." Willow said, "Give or take a week I guess."  
A look of recognition dawned on Xander's face as he whispered, "Oh hell!"  
  
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Chapter 8  
  
Buffy sighed and hugged a pillow to herself just as there was a knock on the door.  
"Come in!" she said, without thinking, the inwardly groaned when the door opened and Riley waltzed in.  
"Hey Buffy!" Riley said brightly. "Willow said you were sick. Thought that maybe you could use some company!"  
*Way to go, Will* Buffy thought, but she said, "Oh, hey Riley."  
"So," he said, sitting down on the bed and making himself thoroughly at home. "What's wrong with you?"  
Buffy blushed. She didn't know what to say. " Eh, women trouble." - well, it wasn't exactly a lie now, was it?  
"Oh." now Riley was embarrassed. "Eh, well, you missed a really thrilling lecture from professor Walsh." he said with genuine enthusiasm.  
"Those lectures are always so much fun." Buffy said, however Riley didn't pick up on the sarcasm in her tone.  
"I know! It's just, y'know, professor Walsh!!" he said hyperactively, "That's excitement enough on it's own."  
Buffy decided that Riley had an unhealthy interest in all things professor Walsh-y. She sighed deeply.  
"What's wrong?" he asked.  
"Oh nothing."  
"No seriously. What's up with you? You're not laughing like you usually do at my boyish charm."  
"It's just......" she looked at him. He'd understand, wouldn't he? Well, there was only one way to find out.  
"I'm pregnant." she told him.  
He jumped back. "I thought you said it was 'Women trouble'!" he accused.  
"It is women trouble." Buffy argued. "Have you ever seen a pregnant man?"  
Riley scrunched up his face. "Well," he said accusingly, "Who's baby is it?"  
Buffy looked shocked that he had even concidered that the baby was anyone's but his.  
She was about to retort when the door opened and Willow stepped in with Xander in tow.  
  
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Chapter 9  
  
Giles was dilegently researching Buffy's condition in his apartment when there came a knock on the door and in came Buffy and Willow.  
Giles looked up from his books. "Oh, hello." he said, standing up, "Did you find something out?" he noted Buffy's pale appearance.  
Willow shrugged exageratedly. "Oh, Xander insists he has all the answers." she told Giles. "However he wont tell us what he's talking about. He said he was going to get something to show us."  
Giles raised a skeptical eyebrow. "He's going to show you?"  
Willow nodded. "We said we'd meet him here. He can show us all at the same time."  
Buffy sank into Giles' couch and Willow sat down beside her. "Hopefully he wont have to go very far to find whatever it is that he wants to show us." she said.  
  
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Chapter 10  
  
"Xander!" Cordelia yelped between clenched teeth, "Let go of me!"  
Xander realised that he had been gripping her arm in a vicelike manner and released it at once.  
"Where are you taking me?" she asked, and then she added, "I'm such an idiot. I can't believe I told you all that stuff last night!"  
He continued to hassle her along the street.  
"We're going to Giles'." Xander informed her, "And you're going to tell Buffy and Willow and Giles exactly what you told me last night."  
He continued to hassle her along the street.  
"I can't!" Cordelia said, almost pleadingly, "I mean, if Angel found out that I told anyone, let alone Buffy, well, he'd kill me! It's that simple."  
"Unfortunatly it's not." Xander retorted. "It's just a little more complicated than that."  
Cordelia turned to face him.  
"what do you mean, 'a little more complicated'?" she asked  
"Well," Xander said, wondering were tact ended and lying began, "Maybe Angel's little secret had more repercussions than he thinks."  
Cordelia looked at him, puzzled, "What do you mean?" she asked again. Xander seemed to be making even less sense than usual today.  
Xander sighed. He guessed there was no point in hiding the truth any longer. Cordelia would inevitably find out what was going on within the next 20 minutes or so anyway.   
"What I mean," he said, "Is that Buffy's pregnant and that dates are pretty much pointing at Angel being the culprit if your story's true."  
Cordelia gawked at him. "Buffy's, eh, but.... but, eh ...... time was turned back. I mean, at least that's the gist of it that I got." She frowned, "Pretty much all I remember is them having a short argument and her leaving. Not alot of time for, y'know, anything."  
Xander shrugged. "Well, you'll just have to tell them that then. If you don't I'll have to tell the story, and, well, you were pretty drunk last night...." he smiled coyly  
Cordelia looked worried, " Maybe we could just, uh, call Angel or something?" Ask him to explain it to her?"  
Xander smiled at her worried expression and gave her another nudge in the direction of Giles' place.  
  
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Chapter 11  
  
Riley looked disgruntled as he marched along a corridor of UC Sunnydale. He couldn't believe that Buffy was pregnant. He wondered whos baby it was. It couldn't be his, could it? They had been very careful.  
He sighed angrily, *And that Willow* he thought, *And her townie friend Xander* They had been very rude, hassling him out of the room after interrupting his conversation with Buffy!  
*But what if she is pregnant? And what if it is my baby?* he thought. *Well, she'll just have to get rid of it.* he presumed. *I'm too young to be a father.*  
  
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Chapter 12  
  
Buffy stared at Cordelia, slightly dazed. It turned out that Cordelia was the 'something' that Xander had wanted to show them. And she talked. Oh boy, did she talk, though Buffy wasn't sure that what was coming out of her mouth was possible, let alone, true. Her mind had gone completely blank. She just stared at Cordelia open-mouthed. Cordelia looked flustered, embarrassed and even slightly nervous which was not at all normal for Cordelia.  
"Can I go now?" she asked uncertainly, her eyes darting around the room.  
"Have you told us absolutely everthing?" Giles asked her.  
Cordelia nodded enthusiastically.  
Xander nodded at her. "You can go now, then, if you want."  
She bolted out the door as quickly as she could.   
Angel was going to kill her.  
  
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Chapter 13  
  
The phone rang shrilly through the offices of Angel investigations. Angel, who he been searching through the filing cabinet,began to throw the files he was holding back into it. Looking slightly flustered he dashed over to the phone, picking it up moments be fore the answering machine would have.  
"Hello?" he said, "Eh, Angel Investigations..... we, uh, help...."  
Save it. Cordelia interupted him. It's me.  
"Oh! Hey Cordelia." Angel said, " Listen, when are you coming back coz I still don't get your filing system."  
And I want you to remember that. Cordelia instructed him. After I tell you what I'm about to tell you.  
"What did you do?" Angel asked nervously.  
I, well, do you remember to last time Buffy was in L.A.?  
Angel swallowed. ".....Yeah?"  
Well, Doyle told me about what really happened and Xander kind of forced me to.... Angel suddenly felt sick ... tell Buffy.  
Angel's expression registered little of he thoughts. "How did Xander know?" he asked.I kind of told him Cordelia said humbly. I had a little too much to drink.  
Angel didn't say anything. He just sat in stunned silence. Cordelia evidently thought that there may have been something wrong with the connection because her voice came over the phone again.  
Hello? she said Angel, are you still there? There's something else.  
Angel put a hand to his head. "What?" he asked, not sure if he really wanted to know.  
The reason I had to tell Buffy? Cordelia said, She's pregnant Angel. Could it be yours?  
This time the reciever actually slipped out of Angel's hand and fell down beside the desk with a bang.  
  
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Chapter 14  
  
"Are you O.K.?" Willow asked Buffy gently.  
Buffy looked up at her tiredly.  
"I guess," she said, " I just,... what Cordelia said, I mean, she could be wrong, couldn't she? That Guy, Doyle could have been pulling her leg" Then she sighed, " But then, on the other hand it might explain the fact that I'm three months pregnant. But... you'd just think that I'd remember something."  
Willow put an arm around her friend. "Don't worry." she assured her. "We're gonna find out what happened." At that point she looked over at Giles. "Maybe you should call Angel?"  
Giles looked up. "Oh! Yes, quite." he agreed, standing up and heading for the phone. He dialled Angel's number and waited for and answer.  
"Hi! Angel Investigations!..." Cordelia's cheery voice came over the line. Giles put down the phone. Not even Cordelia could get to L.A. that fast.  
  
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Chapter 15  
  
"What are you doing here lower being?" The male oracle asked.  
Angel looked up at him. The bright light made him squint slightly.  
"I need to ask you something." he replied.  
"What could you need to know that you coud not find out by other means?" the female oracle asked him.  
"The day that I was huma." Angel asked, "That never happened, right?"  
"That is correct." the male oracle replied.  
"So how come Buffy's pregnant then?" Angel asked. " I just need to know if the two events are connected.  
The female oracle whispered something to the male who whispered back fiercly. Then she turned to Angel.  
"It's not often that we make mistakes." she told him. "When we erased that day something may have gone slightly wrong." she concluded. "We were careless" she added  
Angel frowned deeply. What the hell was he going to do now? This was all his fault.  
"This is our fault." the female oracle told him. "We will do what we can to rectify it."  
Angel looked at her in alarm. "What do you mean by that?" he asked her sharply.  
She frowned slightly, then said, "If you were..... human. Would that ease the situation?"  
The male oracle looked at her angrily. " He is a warrior." he said to her. "He has a part to play in the ongoing battle."  
She turned back to him, equally annoyed. "We were foolish." she said. "Now we must alleviate the problem."  
Angel looked at them, amazed at what they were offering. Then he thought about his day as a mortal and his reason for erasing it. He couldn't protect Buffy if he was mortal. He opened his mouth to speak but the female interupted him.  
"If he retained his strength and healing abilities he could continue our fight in a mortal body." She told the other.  
"But the rules say...."  
"... there are no rule for this. It is unforseen circumstances."  
Then she turned to Angel, awaiting his answer.  
  
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Chapter 16  
  
Willow and Buffy were in the dorm later that day. They had spent the afternoon at Giles' trying to get through to Angel's but, after several unsuccessful attempts, had concluded that he was probably out fighting evil somewhere.Buffy was now more confused than ever. Suddenly a loud knock on the door broke the silence in the room. Willow got up and opened the door. It was Riley.  
"Hey" he said, then, seeing Buffy on her bed he said "Eh, Buffy? Can I speak to you?" then he added pointedly, "In private."  
Willow glanced over at Buffy who nodded lethargically  
"Eh, I'll go then, coz I have to do some, eh laundry." Willow said, grabbing a bag of dirty clothes and hefting it out the door.  
"I'll be back soon!" she called in her wake.  
  
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Chapter 17   
  
Hello? a cultured english voice came across the phone in Cordelia's hand. She smiled in relief.  
"Hey Wesley?" she said. "Have you seen Angel today?"  
No. I haven't seen him since yesterday evening. I wasn't at the office today he replied. Why? Is something wrong?  
Cordelia bit her lip. "I'm not sure." she said, "I just,... I've been trying to reach him since this morning and he's not in. Plus he has his cellphone switched off again. We kind of had, well, not an argument exactly..... "  
Do you want me to check on him? Wesley asked her.  
"Would you?" she asked brightly. "It's just, ... I think he might be a bit upset."  
No problem Wesley replied.  
  
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Chapter 18  
  
"Three months!" Riley freaked. "We haven't been dating anything like 3 months!"  
Buffy cringed. "Yeah, well we're still trying to work out what the hell's going on." she told him.  
"Yeah, well," Riley retorted, "Whatever's going on? I want nothing to do with it."  
Buffy looked at him, gobsmacked. "I can't believe you jjust said that Riley. This could be your BABY."  
Riley frowned. "Like I want a baby. If it's mine, you can ... well, you can get rid of it for all I care, but my parents CANNOT find out about this."  
Buffy's voice was filled with rage. "Get out!" she shouted at him pointing him towards the door. "Get out right now before I do somthing that you'll regret." Riley looked shocked but angry and she added, "And I hope for this child's sake that you're not the father!"  
Riley skuttled out the door, knowing better(even if only slightly better) than to test her. He had already found out what Slayer Strength was like.  
Buffy sat back down on the bed, seething quietly to herself.  
  
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Chapter 19  
  
Angel looked down at his hands in amazement. He could feel blood pumping through every single one of the tiny capillaries in his fingers. It was a tingling sensation that he would never forget though he knew that, with time he would grow accustomed to the feeling and barely notice it in his day-to-day living. But right now it was all that he could think of.  
That and getting to Buffy.  
He was still using the sewer access though he wasn't sure why. Force of habit he supposed. Besides, he was finding it hard to believe all that had happened in the past few hours. He pushed open the trapdoor and climbed up into his basement.  
"Angel? Is that you?" a voice filtered down from the offices above. It was Wesley. He appeared at the top of the stairs. "There you are!" he said happily. Angel wondered why Wesley had been looking for him. After all he had given him the day off work.  
"Hey Wesley." he said back. "What's up?"  
"Oh nothing."Wesley replied. "Cordelia just called me and ....." he frowned "Are you alright Angel?"  
Angel nodded indifferently. "Why'd you ask?"  
Wesley frowned. "You look,.. I don't know, different. There's something up isn't there?"  
Angel raised an eyebrow. Then it dawned on Wesley.  
"I know what's different! You're human, Angel!" he said excitedly. "I'm right aren't I?"  
Angel nodded. Wesley blinked in disbelief.  
"How did this happen?" he asked.  
Angel proceeded to give Wesley a concentrated account of the days events so far.  
  
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Chapter 20  
  
Giles was getting thoroughly sick of hearing Cordelia's cheerful message on Angel's answering machine, but he decided that he'd just have to keep calling until someone was there to answer it. And on this occasion, his 17th time to call Angel's number that day, someone did answer the phone.   
It was Wesley.  
"Hello Wesley." he greeted the other watcher. "Is Angel there?"  
He's not actually. Wesley informed him. He left about an hour ago.  
"Oh." Giles said in disappointment.  
But if it's any use to you, Wesley added, I do believe he's headed for Sunnydale. I'm sure you'll be talking to him soon enough.  
"He's coming to Sunnydale?" Giles asked, wondering if one of the others had been in touch with Angel without informing him.  
Yes. Wesley concurred. Like I say. You'll probably hear from him later.  
  
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Chapter 21  
  
Willow and Buffy were in their dorm eating food that does nothing good for ones figure and watching 'Steel Magnolias'.  
"At least you don't have diabetes." Willow observed, eating a piece of chocolate.  
Buffy smiled at her. "You really know how to cheer a girl up."  
Willow grinned at her and had just turned her attention back to the movie when there was a knock on the door. She jumped off the bed. Buffy groaned.  
"If that's Riley again I do not want to see him." she told Willow as the redhead opened the door.  
Buffy looked up curiously when Willow didn't speak to whoever was at the door. Willow was looking back at her. "It's not Riley." she said.  
  
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Chapter 22  
  
As Angel stepped into the room Willow slipped out easily behind him. When she had closed the door and Buffy had turned off the TV Angel stood awkwardly in the centre of the room. Buffy gazed at him, wondering exactly what he would have to tell her.  
"Angel." she said at last, breaking the silence.  
"Uh, hey." he said to her, digging his hands deep into his pockets and then taking them out again. "Can I....?" he asked uncertainly, gesturing to a spot on the bed that was not to near her. She nodded and he sat down.  
"So!" she said in an unnaturally cheerful tone. "What brings you here?"  
Angel looked up at her searching for words. "I came... I, eh heard..... um, Cordelia phoned me." he eventually said.  
Buffy raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Figures."  
"It's just that, eh, she said you were.... pregnant."  
Buffy's head bobbed up and down again. "Uh huh." she said, "And it's so reasuring to know that the news has already spread to L.A."  
Angel looked uncomfortable.  
"Then again," Buffy added, "Cordelia told us a few things as well."  
Angel glanced up at her realising that this was probably the best opening that this conversation was going to have.  
"She told me." he said. "I mean, she told me that she told you." then he added. "It's true."  
Buffy looked up, suprised at his directness. "You mean, what Cordelia told us, about..."  
He nodded.  
"You were human?" Buffy asked, blinking back the tears that she felt beginning to sting the backs of her eyes.  
"The Powers That Be erased the day because I asked them to." he said. "I wasn't strong enough to do what I do like that. We were both going to die if we went on that way." he explained to her. " I went to see the oracles today." he looked into her eyes, "They said your pregnancy was because of a glitch in their system. A mistake they made."  
"What are they going to do?" she asked him.  
"What do you want them to do?" he asked back.  
"I don't know Angel, I just, I don't know. Everything's happening so quickly...." She looked about ready to break.  
"Do you want the baby?" he asked her. She nodded, gulping back potential sobs.  
"Yes." she said, "I do. It's my baby and I love it and... I'm glad it's yours too."  
"If we could be together?" he asked. "Would you still want that?"  
She looked up at him and nodded. "I know we're supposed to be forgetting Angel, but it's so hard...."  
"Well, maybe we don't need to." Angel replied, taking her hands in his. She looked up at him in amazement.  
"Angel!" she said, "You're!.... but how?"  
"The oracles created a major problem." he said. "I guess they figure my being human will rectify it."  
Buffy threw herself into his arms and began to cry softly. He ran his fingers over the back of her head 'shhhing' quietly. When she drew away she looked at him again with atear streaked face.  
"But what about all you said about the last time?" she asked him, still nervous about believing it was true.  
"The oracles have an answer for everything." he told her. "I'm still as strong. I still heal faster than a regular person. I'll have a proper legal identity.... and I get to be with you." he smiled at her. " And you're having our baby."  
She smiled back at him and then kissed him gently on the lips.He returned her kisses fiercely and they fell back onto the bed lost in a bubble of passion that only burst when Willow walked in on them.  
Angel pulled away, slightly embarassed by what Willow might have been thinking.  
Willow blushed to the roots of her auburn hair.  
"Oh! I'm sorry!" she said in ahigh voice, "I did knock but you musn't have..."  
"It's OK Will." Buffy assured her. "We have to go and see Giles anyway." She glanced at Angel who nodded his agreement. "I need to fill you guys in."  
  
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Chapter 23  
  
Willow had had the presence of mind to call Xander before leaving the dorm so that by the time they reached Giles apartment he was already there.  
"Hey!" he said as Willow and Buffy walked through the door. "Cordelia took off for L.A. again." Then on noticing the third figure who had come in he added, "Hey Dead Boy."  
Angel smiled a secret smile to himself that only Buffy noticed.  
"Ah" said Giles, joining them from the kitchen. "Angel. I've been trying to get a hold of you all day."  
Angel shrugged. "Well, here I am."  
"We wanted to tell you something." Buffy said excitedly, clutching Angel's arm.  
"Oh. This better be good." Xander said, raising a curious eyebrow at Buffy's body language.  
"It is." she assured him. Then, taking a breath she said, "Angel's human."  
Xander started laughing, the stopped when no on else joined in. "You're not joking, are you?" he asked.  
"No, it's true." Buffy told him. "He's human, or maybe a little more. And as for what Cordelia said...."  
"That's true too." Angel told them.  
Willow let out a squeal. "Ooooh! Buffy! I'm so happy for you!" she said giddily "What are you going to do now?"  
Buffy shrugged. "We haven't decided yet." she told the, "But what ever we do, we'll be together."  
Giles cleard his throat. "Well," he said, "I must say that I'm most suprised. But given the circumstances I don't think that anyone could have wished for a better conclusion.  
"Angel," he said, addressing the former vampire, "I would like you to explain the exact turn of events to me later in more detail. However I feel that now what I should do, and what i am going to do is wish the two of you every happiness together. I hope it all works out for you."  
Buffy promptly enveloped Giles in a hug.  
"Hey!" came Xander's voice from the corner, "I want one of those too!"  
Buffy laughed and went to give him a hug. "Good luck." he whispered in her ear as they embraced. "I'm glad you worked it out." then he released her and she went back to Angel's side who kissed her lightly on top of the head.  
"I think this calls for a celebration," Giles said  
"Yay!" Xander agreed enthusiastically, "I'll order the pizzas." 


End file.
